Diaphragm



Dec. 18, 1951 e. E. NICHOLSON ETAL 2,578,730

DIAPHRAGM Filed July 25, 1945 FIG. 4

INVENTORS J. B. McGAY c. E. NICHOLSON BY Patented Dec. 18, 1951 DIAPHRAGM George E. Nicholson and John B. McGay, Tulsa,

Okla., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Ohmer Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of New York Application July 25, 1945, Serial No. 606,920

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to fluid pressure seals and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to a pressure seal diaphragm adapted to be utilized in pressure regulators, motor valves and liquid level controls or thelike.

Flexible diaphragms have been utilized for various purposes and in the prior art it has been conventional to connect or seal the peripheral edges of the diaphragm to a cooperating shell or housing by the means of bolts or the like. However, with this method the exertion of pressure, in many instances, would have a tendency to pull the diaphragm away from the connecting sections of the housing thereby breaking the seal connection at the peripheral edges of the diaphragm.

This invention contemplates the use of the flexible diaphragm which is novel in that it is entirely self-sealing from the pressure of a fluid pressure instrument, and eliminates the use of a bolted connection with the peripheral edges of the diaphragm to the instrument housing along with the apparent disadvantages appertinent thereto.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a diaphragm for fluid pressure instruments wherein the seal of the diaphragm is entirely dependent upon the fluid pressure from the instrument.

And another important object of this invention is to provide a self-sealing pressure diaphragm for use with fluid pressure instruments which is capable of easy and rapid assembly and disassembly with the housing of the instrument.

And still another object of this invention is to provide an improved diaphragm seal for fluid pressure instruments wherein the diaphragm is so constructed to act as a stiffening agent upon the application ofpressure in the housing of the instrument whereby the diaphragm is sealed to the walls of the instrument housing.

And still another object is to provide a selfsealing flexible diaphragm which is easy to manufacture, durable and facilitates ease of operation with a fluid pressure instrument.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following detailed description read in coniunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of the improved diaphragm shown cooperating with the housing ofa fluid pressure instrument.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the diaphragm being inserted into the housing.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view of a modi-- 2 iication showing the application of the diaphragm to interfltting housings.

Fig. 4 is a similar view disclosing the insertion oi. the diaphragm into the housings.

Fig. 5 is a detailed view showing the sealing of the diaphragm in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character Ill comprises a vessel or housing of a fluid pressure instrument such as a pressure regulator, liquid level control, motor valve, or the like. The housing 10 is provided with an inlet coupling l2 serving as an inlet for fluid pressure (from a source not shown) into the housing Ill. The lowermost sides of the housing I0 are formed to provide an inwardly projecting internal lip 14 for a purpose as will be hereinafter set out.

A flexible diaphragm I6 is adapted to be utilized with the vessel l0 and provide a seal with lip It. The diaphragm annulus I6 is sub-. stantially disc shaped and comprises a laminated structure of molded rubber having a canvas insert interposed between the outer layers of rubber. The peripheral rim of the diaphragm has embedded therein a resilient ring l8 of spring steel or the like. From Fig. 2, it will be apparent that insertion of the diaphragm l6 into the housing I0 is accomplished by laterally contracting the diaphragm rim to substantially elliptical shape and pushing a peripheral portion of the diaphragm upwardly into the chamber ll of the housing l0 until the opposite peripheral edge of the diaphragm rides past its respective portion of lip It. The diaphragm rim being then released, expansion of the spring I! snaps the diaphragm substantially into its Figure 1 position where the rim is freely seated within the housing around lip It. With the application of pressure through the inlet I2, the ring l8 acts as a stiffening agent and causes the diaphragm to firmly seal against the inner walls of the housing It and particularly the rim or lip II.

The central portion of the diaphragm is connected with a diaphragm plate 20 in turn connected with an actuating rod 22.

Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, disclose the application of the diaphragm in an instrument having interfitting housings. A substantially hemispherical upper housing 26 is provided with a pressure inlet coupling 28 and is constructed at its lowermost portion with an inwardly bent lip 30 surrounding an enlarged opening. The housing 28 cooperates with a somewhat similar lower housing' 32 having its periphery bent outwardly to form a horizontally disposed lip 34. It will be apparent that the lip of housing 32 is disposed in the housing 26 in the assembly of Figure 3. A flexible diaphragm 36 is disposed in the housings 26 and 32 between two diaphragm plates 38 and 40, in turn threadedly connected with an actuating rod 42 that is 'slidable through housing 32.

A pressure inlet coupling 44 is disposed'in the housing 32. The diaphragm 36 is of similar construction to the diaphragm I6 in the preferred embodiment. From Fig. 3, it will be apparent that this construction provides a double acting self-sealing diaphragm wherein fluid pressure in either of the chambers 46 or 48 tends to seal the diaphragm rim to the lips 30 or 34 respectively. Furthermore, any differential of pressure between the two chambers will effect a self-sealing of the peripheral edges of the diaphragm 36 against one of the housings. The diaphragm 36 includes a metal ring 56 acting as a stiffening agent for the sealing effect. With the pressure acting against the diaphragm, it will be apparent that the upper housing 26 and the lower housing 32 will be pushed apart to their normal operating position thereby accentuating the seal of the diaphragm between the lips 30 and 34.

Furthermore, it will be apparent that the greater the pressure in the chamber ll of the preferred embodiment or either of the chambers 46 and 48 of the modification, the greater the sealing effect of the diaphragm against the respective lip portions of the housing. In both the preferred embodiment and the modification, the diaphragm annulus is shown with a dip portion 62 which is of conventional construction that allows for flexibility of motion or movement of the diaphragm without any unnecessary stretch of the diaphragm annulus, especially during the assembly and disassembly of the diaphragm to and from the instrument housings.

Fig. 4 shows an application of the diaphragm being inserted between the upper housing 26 and the lower housing 32. The diaphragm annulus is disposed on the lower housing 32 with the peripheral edges enclosing the metal ring 50 overhanging the lip 34 of the housing 32. The upper housing 26 is then directed from an angular ortipping position (as shown) over the diaphragm 36 and housing 32 allowing one portion of the lip 36 to ride past a respective portion of the annular diaphragm. The upper housing 26 is then arranged in an upright position and with the'application of fluid pressure the diaphragm 36 effects a seal for holding the two housings in normal operating position.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that this invention contemplates the use of 9. diaphragm which is dependent entirely upon fluid pressure in a fluid pressure instrument to effect a positive seal of the diaphragm in the instrument, without the use of any extraneous elements such as bolts or the like, to provide the sealing effect. Furthermore the self-sealing pressure diaphragm can easily and rapidly be assembled and disassembled with fluid pressure instruments without necessarily disassembling the instrument for this operation.

Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts as heretofore set forth in the specification and shown in the drawings, it being understood that any modification in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of the following claims withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fluid pressure instrument, a relatively rigid housing having a fluid inlet and an enlarged opening surrounded by an internal annular lip, a preformed flexible diaphragm that has an annular rim about its outer periphery freely seated upon said lip internally of said housing, and a resilient ring imbedded in said diaphragm rim, said rim being larger than said opening but said ring permitting lateral contraction of said rim to clear said opening for insertion of the rim into said housing during assembly of the housing and the diaphragm, said ring expanding to substantially regain its shape to seat said rim on said housing all around said lip, and said inserted rim being forced into pressure sealing engagement with said housing all around said lip by fluid pressure within said housing.

2. In the fluid pressure instrument deflned in claim 1, said opening and said rim being circular, with the outer periphery of the inserted rim engaging the inner side wall of the housing.

3. In the fluid. pressure instrument defined in claim 1, said internal lip being formed by an inturned portion of said housing.

4. In a fluid pressure responsive instrument, a relatively rigid housing part having a fluid inlet and an enlarged opening surrounded by an internal annular lip, a second relatively rigid housing part movable relative to said first housing part and having a fluid inlet and an open end surrounded by an outwardly extending an nular lip smaller than said opening, a preformed flexible diaphragm between said housing parts having an annular rim about its outer periphery larger than said opening and seated freely between said intemal lip and said outwardly extending lip, and a resilient ring imbedded in said rim permitting lateral flexure of the rim to clear said opening for insertion of the assembled diaphragm and second housing part through said opening during assembly, said ring expanding to substantially regain its shape and seat said rim on said first housing part all around said internal lip, and fluid pressure within the housing parts urging said diaphragm rim and said lips into fluid tight contact.

5. A fluid pressure instrument comprising a pair of interfltting relatively movable housing members, an inwardly extending annular lip on one of said housing members, an outwardly extending annular lip on the other of said housing members, said lips extending generally toward each other so that their edges are adjacently disposed, and a flexible diaphragm disposed between the housing members so as to provide pressure chambers within said instrument between opposite sides of said diaphragm and said housing members and having a spring ring imbedded in the rim thereof, said diaphragm rim being freely seated between the lips of said housing members, and said diaphragm being responsive to fluid pressure in either or both of said chambers to urge said rim into sealing engagement with said housing member lips.

6. A fluid pressure instrument comprising a pair of relatively movable interfltting housing feet a self-sealing action with at least one of the lips, and means in the diaphragm acting as a stifiening agent therefor.

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Gil Feb. 1, 1887 Hodgson Apr. 6, 1926 Knaak Apr. 21, 1931 Davis Apr. 30, 1935 Erickson Oct. 10, 1939 Chilton Nov. 7, 1939 Dickson Aug. 10, 1948 

